


Book End to Proof

by koalathebear



Category: Terra Nova (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-28
Updated: 2012-01-28
Packaged: 2017-10-30 05:52:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/328471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the episode "Proof" because Reynolds wasn't in that episode at all.  Not really intended to do anything except fill the gap!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Book End to Proof

The convoy drove through the jungle on their way back from the Terra Nova quarry. "Castle this is Squire one, we are now approaching 50 klicks.

"Squire one, copy that. We will be waiting for your debrief upon arrival. Base out."

Several days earlier, Reynolds and members of his team had been sent out to the quarry to monitor Sixer movements. He and his men had remained hidden for over a day, watching activity at the mine which was not inconsiderable. It seemed unlikely that the colony would be able to retake the quarry without an all out armed assault on the Sixers as well as leaving a sufficiently large contingent of soldiers to guard it. Logistically it didn't make sense and that was going to be the assessment that he conveyed to the commander and Lieutenant Washington.

The rover jolted its passengers as it bumped along the rough ground and he felt a sense of relief and happiness as the gates of the colony came into view. The guards above the gate acknowledged his arrival with a brief salute as he and his men drove through the gate and got out of the mud-splashed rovers. Washington was waiting for him in the command compound and listened to his report without much surprise on her face.

"I agree – we can't afford to take it back yet. After the 11th get here, we may consider it – although as you point out, it will involve leaving a permanent detachment out there to keep it once we take it."

"Where is the commander?" Reynolds asked curiously.

"In the brig with the new prisoner," Wash said carefully, suddenly realising that the young men before her would probably have a vested interest in the events that led up to the arrest of the new prisoner.

"New prisoner?"

"Attempted murder," Wash said quietly. "The commander is left with a difficult decision about what to do with him given that he has skills that are very useful for the colony."

"Who is it?"

"Strangely enough it's the man you were sent to escort back – Dr. Horton – or rather the man we thought was Dr Horton. Your favourite Shannon discovered that he was actually Horton's assistant Andrew Ficket who murdered Horton to take his place on the Pilgrimage."

"Maddy?" Reynolds demanded, a frown growing on his face. "How is she involved? I was only gone for two days!"

Wash put her hand to her brow and grimaced as if she had a headache. "Because she found out about his crime, Ficket tried to kill her to cover it up – fortunately Jim Shannon was able to intervene and arrest Ficket. Ficket just solved the problem we've been having with apples so Commander Taylor now needs to decide if Ficket gets banished in accordance with the bylaws or if his sentence should be commuted because the needs of the colony are greater."

"Permission to leave, ma'am?" Reynolds asked urgently.

"Permission granted – but she's fine, Reynolds. You don't need to worry about Maddy Shannon."

"Thank you, ma'am," he replied and then he was gone, leaving a rueful Wash watching him run down the stairs and in the direction of the Shannon home.

He was there in minutes, pounding loudly on the door. 

"Zoe – don't open the door until you ask who it is!" he heard Maddy call out but by then Zoe had already flung the door open.

"Mark! You're back!" she exclaimed in delight and Mark bent down to pick her up in his arms and swing her up on his hip effortlessly. 

"That I am – did you miss me?"

"Yes! You could have stopped the bad man!" Zoe told him. "I knew he was a vampire but Maddy wouldn't believe me."

He set Zoe down and closed the front door. "I didn't know you were due back today," Maddy commented from the kitchen. Mark's eyes travelled over her swiftly, trying to determine if she was all right. She looked the same – just a little paler than usual and her eyes were slightly swollen as if she had been crying.

"I'm ok," she told him. In moved towards her, pulling her against him and kissing the top of her head, then her mouth and then held her close again.

"Jeez Maddy, I was gone less than two days – how did this happen?"

"It's a long story ..."

"I have time," he told her.

"You just got back - you must be tired."

"I'm waiting."

She pulled out of his arms and moved back to the kitchen. There was a pile of shiny red apples on the counter. Mark looked a little revolted. "These are the apples that Horton helped fix?"

"Ficket," Maddy corrected. "Horton never made it to Terra Nova," she said sadly. "Ficket murdered him before he came." She handed him an apple and a knife wordlessly. After a moment's pause, he started peeling the apple while Maddy started mixing ingredients.

"I was so excited when mom told me that Dr Horton was coming back from his research expedition. I've idolised him for _so_ long – I've read _Atlas of a Long Forgotten World_ more times than I can count ... But after I met him, there were so many things that just didn't seem right – after a bit of digging, I realised that it wasn't the real Dr Horton ... that he was an imposter."

"I _told_ Maddy she should try making him eat garlic!" Zoe informed Reynolds emphatically. "But she wouldn't listen to me."

Mark put down his third apple and picked up a fourth. "Then what?"

"When he found out I knew everything – he kidnapped Zoe out of school knowing that I'd go and find him. When I did, he tried to kill me with a poisonous spider of all things." Maddy's voice shook slightly. "Very evil overlord of him, I know ..."

Mark put the knife and apple down and went to stand close to Maddy. "Maddy – I'm so sorry that I wasn't here … "'

"Mark – you've got absolutely nothing to be sorry for," Maddy said incredulously.

"I promised you I'd keep you safe ..."

"That's not a promise that anyone can keep, especially here in Terra Nova," she told him bluntly. "I was really stupid. Not thinking straight - there were so many things I should have done differently."

"How did you - ?"

"My dad found me."

"She sent me with a message!" Zoe crowed gleefully.

Maddy smiled. "Dad made me come up with some panic words so that he would know if we were in trouble. So I just told Zoe to tell dad – "

"You can stop right there," a voice interrupted them.

Jim Shannon was standing before them, grim-faced.

"Dad – it's not like he's ever going to be holding me hostage or anything," Maddy said incredulously.

"You never know! He could have a secret collection of human ears at home for all I know."

"Dad!" Maddy exclaimed in outrage while Reynolds grimaced.

"No ears, I swear, sir," he said seriously to Mr Shannon.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Never."

"The panic word is asparagus, ok?" Maddy told him.

 _"Maddy!"_ Shannon's voice was sharp and reprimanding.

"Smart – but given that there's no asparagus on Terra Nova didn't Ficket suspect anything?"

"I guess not," Maddy said with a shrug while Jim Shannon frowned as he realised that what Reynolds said was true.

Reynolds smiled at Maddy. "I'll bet you 10 Terras that as soon as soon as I leave, you'll have a new panic word ..."

Maddy smiled despite herself. "Keep peeling please."

"What are we doing?" he asked her curiously.

"Zoe wants to know what apple pie tastes like ... might as well be something good that comes out of all of this," Maddy said with a shrug.

"Why did her teacher just hand Zoe over to a complete stranger?" Mark wanted to know.

"I've had a word with the school already," Jim said grimly. "The teacher has been spoken to. Maddy's also been reminded that next time she suspects she's on the trail of a suspected murderer, she's to come to me – or even you – before tearing off after him."

"I get it, dad," Maddy said, rolling her eyes as she mixed sweetener through the chopped apple and placed it inside the pie crusts.

"So what's happening to Ficket? Banishment seems almost too good for him."

"Mark!" Maddy said reproachfully.

"I agree – with him," Jim said grimly. "It's in Taylor's hands, though." He glanced at his wrist and then looked up. "Maddy – I have to head out. Be good – don't roll your eyes at me." He paused, pulled 10 Terras out of his pocket and slapped it in Mark's hand.

"Oh good grief, dad," Maddy muttered. Mark simply grinned and handed the money to a very delighted Zoe.

After Maddy put the pies into the oven, Mark insisted that they both go out into the yard. "What's going on?"

"Next time someone tries to grab you – turn - like this," he instructed her.

"Oh god no, Mark – I am not learning self defence. Dad tried to make me do this when I was a kid."

"Maddy – it's important. You can't always have someone around to protect you – you have to do it for yourself. Zoe, too."

Zoe obediently launched herself at Mark and he pretended to flail and fall over in an untidy heap.   
"Ouch ouch, you got me!" he exclaimed as she giggled like crazy. Reluctantly, Maddy watched and imitated as he showed her an arm lock, a shoulder throw, what to do with an assailant's fingers. She watched in faint amusement as he taught Zoe how to throw him over her shoulder and over her hip. To be frank, Zoe seemed to have a real talent for it – she certainly had the enthusiasm.

He spent an inordinate amount of time teaching them how to fall, rolling and hitting the ground and dispersing the force of the fall with by slapping the ground with a hand. "It's not a somersault, Zo – try again," he instructed when Zoe did a somersault instead of a break fall.

He worked with Zoe while Maddy dashed into the house to put the pies onto cooling racks.

"Not burnt?" he asked her when she came out.

"They're fine," she nodded and listened as he continued his lesson.

"You're not going to have the advantage of size but self-defence measures like this take that into account and you use their weight, size and momentum to your advantage. What happened when you were on the ground?" he asked her.

Maddy swallowed hard. "He put his walking stick on my chest and pinned me down.

"One of the throws in judo is called [_tomoe nage_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dlVsq827-A). It's a sacrifice technique because it's not a sweep or a trip –you grip your attack and then you fall backwards – and then flip them."

Maddy stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment. 

"You ready?" he asked her and then she nodded, staring down as he gripped her top, fell backwards onto the grass on his back with Maddy standing over him. She teetered off balance above him and he planted his foot low on her body, applying strong pressure and then rolling onto his own back with Maddy above him. This caused a shrieking Maddy to flip over the top of Mark and land on her back – although fortunately she remembered how to fall correctly before landing breathless in the grass – both of them on their backs and head to head.

"Holy crap!" she exclaimed, lying in the grass and gasping.

"You're supposed to get up and run at this point, otherwise the throw is pointless," Mark said in amusement.

"My turn! My turn!" Zoe insisted and she was shrieking with laughter as Mark gently flipped her over his head and tossed her onto the grass.

"Judo moves are suitable for you and Zoe because it doesn't rely on you having more size or strength than your opponent."

He stood by and watched as Maddy and Zoe practised on one another.

"What's going on here?" Elisabeth Shannon's amused voice cut through the laughter and chatter just as Mark was allowing Zoe to throw him through the air.

"Self-defence classes, isn't it obvious?" Maddy asked, her face flushed with laughter as Zoe leapt around crowing with delight at having bested Mark.

"Sounds like too much fun for that," Elisabeth exclaimed but appeared impressed when both her daughters demonstrated some recently learned techniques.

"You've made more progress than I ever did," Jim Shannon's voice remarked as he arrived home and found his family assembled on the lawn. He permitted both daughters to throw him through the air, landing in the grass and staring up at the sky in bemusement. "Not bad," he conceded after Maddy flipped him over her hip quite competently given that she had only learned the move earlier that afternoon.

He allowed Mark to pull him to his feet and lifted an eye brow. "And how about you?" he asked Mark.

Mark froze and stared at the older man. "Err ..."

"Go on – let's go for it," Jim invited wolfishly.

"Dad – I don't think ..." Maddy began.

"Jim, no maybe you shouldn't – "

"Fight! Fight!" Zoe shrieked, leaping up and down.

"Bloodthirsty like her father," Elisabeth muttered in resignation.

Maddy winced as her father took that opportunity to lunge at Mark who stepped out of the way and shook his head.

"Think you can't handle it?" Jim asked provocatively, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Mark threw an agonised look at Maddy who shrugged and waved at him as if to say: "Go for it."

The men tussled briefly and Maddy winced as Mark flew back after a particularly forceful kick from her father. At that point, Mark appeared to want to conclude things so swept Shannon to the ground and exclaimed; "Get him, Zoe!" Zoe pounced on her father with glee, tickling him until he laughed and Mark carefully backed away to where Maddy was standing.

"Good job," she mouthed at him. "So shall we all have some pie?" she asked brightly, looking around and Elisabeth picked up on her cue and helped to usher everyone back into the house.

"Think you'll remember what I taught you?" Mark asked her quietly as Elisabeth and Zoe cut pieces of pie.

Maddy shrugged. "I guess … although what are the odds of me being attacked by some crazy imposter dude again?"

"The self-defence techniques have a more general application, Maddy," Mark said dryly.

"I know," Maddy said rolling her eyes. "And thank you – I appreciate your efforts. I also appreciate you not kicking my dad's butt," she said _sotto voce_.

"I’m not crazy," Mark said with a grimace and thanked Elisabeth as she placed a plate of pie in his hands. His eyes darkened as the rested on Maddy's face as she talked with her family.

He had meant it when he had promised that he would look after her. The thought of anything happening to her was terrifying … It had been a long time since he had had anyone else to care about except himself and now there was Maddy - and her family. He glanced across the room and saw that Jim Shannon was watching him steadily, a faintly questioning look in his eyes. Mark nodded, answering the question that Shannon was asking him wordlessly and a look of quiet satisfaction crossed Jim Shannon's face.

"We can have a rematch another day," Jim announced amidst much laughter and eye-rolling from everyone else.

**end**


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